Method of producing reverse twist barbwire



Sept. 2, 1941. 'H. A. NELSON METHOD OF PRODUCING REVERSE TWI ST BARBWIRE2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 16, 1939 v 'bwenfar: HEN/er 4 NELSON, KQMMSept. 2, 1941. H. A. NELSON METHOD OF PRODUCING REVERSE TWIST BARBWIRE 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 16 1939 ey NELSON I fi/ff 1%rncy PatentedSept. 2, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Y 2,254,238 a DIETHOD OF rnggl l c livg REVERSE TWIST Henry A. Nelson, De Kalb, m. Application June1c, 1939, Serial no: 219,545 :4 Claims. (01. 140-58) This inventionrelates to a novel method of producing barbwire.

One object of the invention is to provide a method of manufacturingbarbwire which will materially speed up the rate ofproduction and yetproduce a product having improvedcharacteristics, as compared withbarbwire heretofore available.

The above and further features of the invention will be fully apparentfrom the following disclosure and the appended claims, when read inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view showing two elemental strands of the product beforetwisting, both strands being provided with barbs of two prongs.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 wherein only one of the" strandsis provided with barbs of two prongs.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a length of finished barbwire made inaccordance with my novel method of twisting together the strands shownin Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the novel barbwire madeaccording to my invention by twisting together the strands of Figure 2.s

Figures 5 to 8, inclusive, illustrate modifications.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 3 of the accompanying drawings, inaccordance with my novel method I provide a plurality of elementalstrands l0 and I! to which are secured barbs l0 and I2. These barbs aresecured to the strands by any conventional form of twisting head in muchthe same'manner as barbs are secured in the manufacture of conventionaltypes of barbwire. However, the spacing between the barbs Ill on thestrand l0 and the barbs l2 on the strand I2 is substantially uniform,with the barbs on one strand staggered with respect to the barbs on theother strand. Preferably, although not necessarily, the barbs on onestrand will be located about midway between those on the other strand.

After the respective barbs have been secured to the strands Ill andl2,in staggered relation, two predetermined lengths of the strands aresubjected to twisting operations performed in a novel manner whichconstitutes an important characteristic 'ofthe methodand which resultsin the production The novelty in. mg predetermined of the improvedproduct.

the method consists in twist- I portions or sections'ofthe strands inopposite directions so that the tendency of one predetermined portion ofthe twisted product is counteracted or negatived by the tendency ofanother predetermined portion of the twisted product to turn in theopposite direction.

This results in the formation of what might be' termeda balancedproduct; inasmuch as the tendency for certain portions of the barbwireto turn in one direction is balanced by the tendency of another portionto turn in a contrary direction, the two opposed tendencies thusbalancing and resulting in the product which might be termed a balancedor dead lay product. This reverse twist of different predeterminedlengths of wire will be apparent from examination of Figure 3, whereinthe middle section of the completed barbwire, as indicated by thepredetermined length A, is so twisted that the strands have a right-handlay, while the sections marked B andl." are so twisted that the strandshave a lefthand lay.

Such reverse twisting of adjacent predetermined sections of barbwire maybe readily accomplished by arranging the strands close together insubstantially parallel relation and then gripping the parallel strandsat spaced intervals, such as indicated at M and It in Figure 3, andapplying reverse rotary motions to the respective gripping elementemployed.

For example, if the element gripping at the point I I is rotatedclockwise, as viewed from the right in Figure' 3, and the elementgripping at I the point i6 is rotated counterclockwise, thepredetermined section A will have imparted thereto the right-hand laydescribed, while the sections B and B will have left-hand lay impartedthereto, it being understood that the same procedure will be followedwith many such predetermined lengths.

Such method of manufacture may be carried out by the utilization of anysuitable mechanism capable of imparting the reverse twist to adjacentpredetermined lengths of the product. While in Figure 3 I haveillustrated one barb centrally ofeach predetermined section of the giventwist or lay, it is apparent that more than one barb can be applied toeach such predetermined length, or barbs could be omitted from certainpredetermined lengths; also, the barbs could be located at the points I!and I 6 where the grippers exert the twisting action.

In general, it is considered preferable to employ a plurality ofstrands, each carrying barbs arranged in staggered relation and to exertthe respective twisting actions between barbs in opp'osite directionssimultaneously. By employing two separate strands, each with barbsarranged in staggered relation for a given length 01' lon- I gitudinaltravelof the strands, the separate twisting heads which apply the barbscan be operated at the maximum high speel, and, because a separatetwisting head is effective to apply barbs to each strand, it followsthat a much faster rate of production can be maintained than would bethe case it the'barbs were applied to only one of the strands, asindicated in Figure 2.

It is also contemplated that the method may be practiced by using threeor more parallel strands, each with respective barbs arranged insuitable staggered relation. In carrying out the method with the use ofone plain strand 20, which is devoid oi barbs, as shown in Figure 2, andanother strand 2! which carries all the barbs 22, the parallel strandsmay b gripped at points 24, 2t and 28 illustrated in Figure 4, and thentwisted in opposite directions at such points. This will result in theproduction of barbwire such as shown in Figure 4, wherein the lay ortwist of the strands in section C or a predetermined length will have arighthand lay, and the lay or twist in the sections D and D will beleft-hand.

In Figures 5 to 8, inclusive, an alternative embodiment of the inventionisiIIustrated. Figure 5 shows two elemental strands of the product priorto twisting, both strands being provided with barbs of tour prongs. Asillustrated in Figure 6, which is a viewsimilar to Figure 5, only one ofthe strands is provided with tour prongs. In Figure '7 is shown, in sideelevation, a length or finished barbwire made in accordance with mynovel method 01' twisting together strands shown in Figure 5. Figure 8similarly illustrates the novel barbwire made in accordance with myinvention by twisting together the strands of Figure 6. Thus it isapparent that the same method described in connection with Figures 1 to4, inclusive, is applicable to produce barbwire with more than twoprongs. for example, wire with fousri prongs, as illustrated by Figures5 to 8, inclu ve.

ass-mas limited thereto, and the drawings and detail description are tobe interpreted in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense. a Iclaim:

1. In the manufacture of barbwire, the method which comprises providinga plurality of parallel strands, at least some of which carry barbs, and

, simultaneously twisting spaced portions thereof in oppositedirections.

2. In the manufacture oi barbwlre, the method which comprises providinga plurality of strands, applying barbs thereto, positioning the strandsin substantially parallel relation and simultaneously twisting thestrands together in reverse directions at spaced intervals.

' 3.. In the manufacture of barbwire, the method which comprisesproviding a plurality of strands, applying .barbs to one strand atpredetermined spaced intervals, applying barbs to another strandapproximately midway between those applied to said first mentionedstrand, juxtaposing the strands and then simultaneously twisting theportions of the strands intermediate adjacent barbs in reversedirections.

4. In the manufacture or barbwire, the method which comprises providinga plurality of strands, applying barbs to one strand at predeterminedspaced intervals, applying barbs to another strand approximately midwaybetween those applied to said first mentioned strand, and gripping thestrands at points intermediate adjacent barbs and imparting a twistingmotion in one direction to one gripped portion while applying a twistingmotion in the reverse direction to the adjacent gripped portion.

HENRY A. NELSON.

